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Caity McCardell

In living color! Read all about what's up in South SLO County Womenade

Fun times in summer for South SLO County Womenade!


August 21, 2021 Newsletter


Summertime and the living is(n’t) easy in South SLO County!

So much news to share with you!


Our first in person Potluck Fundraiser since the start of the pandemic


On August 17th, 2021 forty-two people gathered at the magnificent home of Mariam Shah, outdoors, with masks and proof of vaccination for our first in-person Potluck Fundraiser since February of 2020! Everyone was delighted to be there! We mingled, we ate and drank some of that “world famous” Womenade food; we learned from our agency advocates what they are doing; and what the current needs in our community are. Each agency visited the guests tables with their storyboards to share their stories.


We raised over $3,000!

Aprons for Sale!


Vanessa Fujimoto is an expert seamstress, and she has made beautiful, fully reversible aprons. She is selling them for $25 (they are really worth it!) with ALL proceeds going to South SLO County Womenade. We sold 10 aprons at the potluck. She has so many more available. She can be reached VFuji@charter.net. Here are a couple of pictures (my amateur photos don’t really do them justice but the two pictures show fronts and backs of five of the aprons!)

The Great Toiletries Drive


The 2021 Toiletries Drive was an amazing success. We are so grateful that we had three groups leading collections and a job well done!:

  • The Trilogy Service Club in Nipomo led by a team of Judy Woo, our Trilogy Womenade liaison, and Cathy Arvizu, Kim Johnson and Robin O’Rourke with 4 drop off locations.

  • Sharon McDaniel with her friends Debby Swenson, Lori Wertz are also conducting a toiletry drive in central and northern South SLO County with 4 drop off locations

  • Margie Salame and the Pismo Beach-5 Cities Rotary Club

The donations will blow your mind. Here are a few pictures.





The toiletries will be distributed next week to the Family Resource Centers in Arroyo Grande, Nipomo, Oceano, and The Link, as well as South County Youth Coalition, Lopez High School Wolf Den, Lucia Mar Families in Transition, Early Learning centers, Nipomo and Arroyo Grande High Schools, 5 Cities Homeless Coalition, Department of Social Services and County Nurses


Here’s where the donations went in July of 2021


Arroyo Grande Family Resource Center – Mariana Gutierrez, supervisor

  • The family is fleeing a DV situation and child abuse. Staying in a hotel and couch surfing. Arco/ Food4Less $300

Nipomo Family Resource Center – Mariana Gutierrez – supervisor

  • Student recently hospitalized in Bakersfield. Family needs help with gas to get him back home. Shell $50

  • Mom is currently not working since Covid and has no income at the moment. Spectrum $147.94

  • Single dad (widow) caring for his 3 kids and needs help with basic needs for his high schooler. Target/Vons $200

  • Single income and dad is struggling to provide and catch up on bills. Rental assistance needed. Roosevelt Apts (landlord) $300

  • Mom is not working and dad recently diagnosed with medical condition and is not working. Needs help with bills. Vons/Marshalls $200

  • Child was recently diagnosed with autism. Mom noticed she needs specific shoes for her to feel comfortable. Marshalls $50

Oceano Family Resource Center – Stella Medina

  • Single mom with three kids and one on the way is currently living in the shelter and needs assistance with basic need. Walmart $50

  • Single mom in need of financial assistance, internet was turned off. Spectrum $160

  • Mother of DV and struggling financially. The family is in need of basic needs Walmart $100

Casa Solana – Renee Poirier

  • Casa Solana was able to provide a Gift Bed for one month to a woman with 4 children who are currently in foster care.She is homeless and suffers from substance abuse issues as well as alcoholism. She had been calling desperately trying to get into a treatment program but had no financial resources. As soon as I called to let her know I had a bed for her that was being paid for by Womenade she was here the next day. $800

Lopez High School – Jennifer Bowen/ Auroro Munoz

  • On Vacation

Lopez HS Wolf Den – Heidi Boatman and Jann Jeffries

  • On vacation

First 5 Early Learning – Lauren Thoren – Mayra Botello, Melanie Powers and Brittney Garcia

  • On vacation


The Link – Erica Andrade at Mesa and Judkins Middle School, Norma Chavez at Paulding Middle School

  • A family is in need of clothing for student who will be retuning back to school in the fall. The student has been feeling uncomfortable with his weight gain and most of his clothing does not fit. Both parents work part-time and cannot afford much outside of paying the rent and utilities. A Veteran Single-mother works full-time in the medical field and is having a difficult time getting her son to summer school. He is in need of a bike to be able to go to summer school on his own. Clothing Gift Card $100

  • A student has serious medical issues and family drives him to Santa Barbara area weekly for doctors’ appointments. They're in need of a gas gift card. Gas gift Card $50

  • A single-mother is working part-time and does not have enough funds to cover toiletries for the family and they're in desperate need of basic hygiene products. Visa Gift Card $100

  • Single-mother and daughter have just moved into a multi-family home due to mother’s recent unemployment. She is in need of toiletries and gas money to get to job interviews. $100 Visa Gift Card

  • A family of four is in need of a car seat for their 14 month child and has been connected to a SLO non-profit that will donate a seat to them. However, this group requires the family to go to their SLO office. The family is in need of a a gas gift card. $50 Visa Gift card for gas to go to Pregnancy and Parent Support

The Nipomo Food Distribution


The summer food distributions were accomplished by a team of 8 to 10 volunteers at the Nipomo Elementary School Food Distribution. The numbers stayed pretty steady at 300 families. We’re still doing the second Tuesday of each month. The food comes to us pre-packed from the Foodbank and the cars line up, and we do a drive-thru no contact distribution – all masked and gloved.


The Nutrition Team – Mary Anne Morgan


The Nutrition Team is starting up again. We are providing brown bags of weekend food for students in need at all 3 middle schools and at Lopez High School. If anyone would like to “adopt a student” for weekend meals please contact Mary Anne at morganma@charter.net


Transitions Mental Health Associaiton/ Department of Social Services – Mayra Valencia/Christy Romano


A new partner to reach adults in need in our community

  • Single woman will be starting a part time joband needs items for work (clothes and shoes) 2 $25 Walmart cards

  • A man needs gas to get back and forth to work 2 $25 Shell cards

  • Male living in Pismo needed a pillow to help with his back issues $25 Walmart card

  • Female from Arroyo Granded needed assistance in getting to physician appointment in Templeton 2 $25 Shell gas cards

Update on funds received:


7/1/21 to 7/31/21 $4,640.86

1/1/21 to 7/31/21 $48,156.06

2/1/2019 to 6/30/21 $178,659.76

Many thanks to our fabulous July donors!


Gail Applegate (x2), Linda Busek, Cory Gonzalez, Mary Anne Morgan, Madeline Fay, Sandy Richardson, Susan McCutcheon, James and Kendra Paulding, Fred Donati, Carolyn Biedinger, Bradley and Linda Wilbert, Jessica Griffiths, Stacy Murphy, Linda Jung, Nancy Trudeau, Patti Reed, Natalie Goguen, Karen Kolba, Phyllis Sims, Fran Norris, Jean Leavitt, Kathey Harris, Mary Dejong, Alex and Jessie Shu(x2), Rosemary Cleaves, Kitty and Kevin Rice, Freddi Hess Quin, Lisa Chadwick, Elaine Stewart, Joann and Stan Benson, Kathleen Pettersen, Cory Gonzalez, Wendy Castleman


How to donate:


To make a donation write a check to South SLO County Womenade and mail to: South SLO County Womenade, 1793 Farroll Rd., Grover Beach, CA 93433

or go to our website sslocw.org


Our website is: sslocw.org

Our EIN# is:27-0809744

Phone number: (805) 270-5751

Our Facebook page: soslocowomenade

Copyright © 2021 South SLO County Womenade, All rights reserved.

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Our mailing address is:

South SLO County Womenade1793 Farroll Rd. Grover Beach, CA 93433


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